Will Smith banned from attending Oscars ceremonies for 10 years over Chris Rock slap

The Best Actor recipient responds after being banned from attending Oscars ceremonies for 10 years for hitting Chris Rock on stage.

Will Smith has been banned from attending Oscars ceremonies for the next 10 years after slapping Chris Rock in the face on stage at the awards show, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences said Friday.

The academy said the decision was based on “the unacceptable and harmful behaviour we saw Mr. Smith exhibit on stage.” The group that oversees the Oscars issued its decision in a statement signed by its president, David Rubin, and Chief Executive Dawn Hudson after a meeting on Friday of its board of governors.

The organisation also apologised for its handling of the matter during the show. “During our telecast, we did not adequately address the situation in the room,” the statement read. “This was an opportunity for us to set an example for our guests, viewers and our Academy family around the world, and we fell short — unprepared for the unprecedented.” The reprimand from the academy comes as a formal response to the incident on Oscar night, when Mr. Smith slapped Mr. Rock on stage and then yelled profane comments at him after the comedian made a joke at the expense of Mr. Smith’s wife, Jada Pinkett Smith. Soon after that, Mr. Smith accepted his first Oscar award, picking up the best actor prize for his performance in “King Richard.” “I accept and respect the Academy’s decision,” Mr. Smith said in a statement on Friday.

Smith holds his award for Best Actor in a Leading Role for "King Richard", received just minutes after hitting Rock.

A representative for Mr. Rock didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.

Mr. Smith last week resigned from the academy, the organisation that oversees the Oscars. In a statement released last Friday, the 53-year-old actor called his actions “shocking, painful and inexcusable.” The actor’s statement a week ago included a long list of apologies, starting with Mr. Rock and his family and widening out to viewers who watched the Oscars around the world. Mr. Smith has apologised multiple times — first to the academy and his fellow nominees in his Oscars speech, then to Mr. Rock in an Instagram post the next day, and then again his statement last Friday.

The academy’s decision came faster than some awards watchers anticipated. The group had signalled it might not announce a decision until after a board meeting on April 18.

Starting this month and extending for the next decade, Mr. Smith cannot attend any academy events either in person or virtually, according to the statement, “including but not limited to the Academy Awards.” After celebrating his win on Oscar night, Mr. Smith woke up to a wave of criticism for his behaviour at the awards show. What looked like one of the best moments in any actor’s life quickly turned into the opposite as the controversy hit global news cycles.

As an ex-member of the academy, Mr. Smith can no longer cast Oscar ballots. Non-academy members still can be nominated for Oscars. The academy didn’t address whether its sanctions would have any impact Mr. Smith’s potential to be nominated over the next decade. The group didn’t revoke Mr. Smith’s trophy.

Mr. Rock hasn’t directly addressed the slap. The comedian, who is on a comedy tour, told an audience that he was “still kind of processing what happened.” On Friday, the academy expressed its “deep gratitude” for Mr. Rock’s poise during the incident, as well as the behaviour of others on the telecast.

Mr. Rock’s joke concerned Ms. Pinkett Smith’s hair. The actress has alopecia, a hair-loss condition that she has discussed publicly.

Mr. Smith’s projects in development include “Emancipation,” an Apple Inc. movie drama based on the true story of a runaway slave who helped fuel an antislavery movement after the publication of photos of his whip-scarred back. Apple has not announced a change to a release date, which had been planned for late this year. Some Hollywood executives expected Mr. Smith’s performance would put him back on the awards circuit next year.

In his tearful Oscar acceptance speech for his portrayal of Richard Williams, father of tennis greats Venus and Serena Williams, Mr. Smith said, “Love will make you do crazy things.” At the end of his speech, he said, “I hope the Academy invites me back.” The line drew some laughter from the crowd and a small chuckle from Mr. Smith as he headed off the stage.

The Wall Street Journal